Sighting System

ABSTRACT

A sight system for a firearm noise suppressor comprising an exterior profile is disclosed. The sight system contains a front sight assembly defining a front opening for accommodating a front portion of the exterior profile of the firearm noise suppressor, and a rear sight assembly defining a rear opening for accommodating a rear portion of the exterior profile of the firearm noise suppressor.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/251,214, filed on Nov. 5, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to firearms. More particularly, the present invention relates to a sighting system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As known in the art, firearms create both a loud noise as well as recoil when they are discharged. The noise and the recoil are generally proportional to the size of the bullets being discharged by the firearms.

Referring to FIGS. 1-2, firearm noise suppressor 10, commonly referred to as “silencer”, is typically threaded onto the outer end of a firearm barrel 15 in order to reduce the noise of the firearm 20. The firearm noise suppressor 10 is generally directed to muffling or reducing the noise of the exhausting gases created by ignition of a cartridge without necessarily retarding the passage of the bullet through the gun barrel 15.

To be effective, firearm noise suppressor 10 needs to have a certain volume and typically has a large outer diameter 25 that tends to extend radially past the line of sight of conventional iron sights 30 on the firearm 20 (as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2), which are usually configured to be as low and close to the barrel axis as possible.

In the past, taller firearm sights were used to clear the suppressors' obstruction of the sights that were installed on the firearm originally. This had the disadvantage in that sights that protrude more are more likely to snag, or to be bumped out of alignment, and having the sights farther from the barrel axis reduces accuracy at certain distances.

In view of the above, a need exists for an improved sighting system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 depicts a firearm noise suppressors coupled with a firearm as known in the art.

FIG. 2 depicts a rear view of the firearm shown in FIG. 1 as known in the art.

FIG. 3 depicts a sight system according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 depicts the sight system shown in FIG. 3 coupled around a firearm noise suppressor.

FIG. 5 depicts a rear view of a firearm with the sight system according to the present disclosure coupled around a firearm noise suppressor.

In the following description, like reference numbers are used to identify like elements. Furthermore, the drawings are intended to illustrate major features of exemplary embodiments in a diagrammatic manner. The drawings are not intended to depict every feature of every implementation nor relative dimensions of the depicted elements, and are not drawn to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to clearly describe various specific embodiments disclosed herein. One skilled in the art, however, will understand that the presently claimed invention may be practiced without all of the specific details discussed below. In other instances, well known features have not been described so as not to obscure the invention.

According to some embodiments, a sight system presently disclosed is a device that will couple with a suppressor when the suppressor blocks the pistol sights. According to some embodiments, the sight system presently disclosed attaches to the exterior of the suppressor to provide an alternative sighting system that remains aligned to the barrel axis and point of aim because the suppressor is necessarily also aligned to the barrel axis.

According to some embodiments, a sight system presently disclosed provides a longer or more distant sight radius giving the user better accuracy.

According to some embodiments, a sight system presently disclosed provides an alternative to using host weapon sights 30. According to some embodiments, a sight system presently disclosed can serve as a primary sighting system for firearms 20.

According to one aspect, a sight system for a firearm noise suppressor comprising an exterior profile is presently disclosed. The sight system comprising: a front sight assembly defining a front opening for accommodating a front portion of the exterior profile of the firearm noise suppressor; and a rear sight assembly defining a rear opening for accommodating a rear portion of the exterior profile of the firearm noise suppressor.

According to another aspect, a firearm noise suppressor is presently disclosed. The firearm noise suppressor comprising: an exterior profile; a front sight assembly defining a front opening for accommodating a front portion of the exterior profile; and a rear sight assembly defining a rear opening for accommodating a rear portion of the exterior profile.

According to another aspect, a sight assembly is presently disclosed. The sight assembly comprising: a top clamp member comprising a sight member; and a bottom clamp member coupled with the top clamp member; wherein the top clamp member and the bottom clamp member define an opening for receiving a firearm noise suppressor.

Referring to FIG. 3, a sight system 300 is shown according to the present disclosure. According to some embodiments, the sight system 300 comprises a front sight assembly 310 and a rear sight assembly 320.

Referring to FIG. 3, according to some embodiments, the front sight assembly 310 comprises front clamping fasteners 312, a front sight member 314, a front bottom clamp member 316, and a front top clamp member 318. According to some embodiments, the front top clamp member 318 is coupled with the front bottom clamp member 316 around the firearm noise suppressor 10 as shown in FIG. 4. According to some embodiments, the front top clamp member 318 is secured to the front bottom clamp member 316 by the front clamping fasteners 312 which extend through recessed bores 344 in the front top clamp member 318 and turn into threaded bores 346 in the front bottom clamp member 316. According to some embodiments, the front bottom clamp member 316 and the front top clamp member 318 define an opening for receiving the firearm noise suppressor 10.

According to some embodiments, the front top clamp member 318 is secured to the front bottom clamp member 316 by the front clamping fasteners 312 which extend through recessed bores (not shown) in the front bottom clamp member 318 and turn into threaded bores (not shown) in the front top clamp member 316. According to some embodiments, the front clamping fasteners 312 may be inserted either from the front top clamp member 318 or from the front bottom clamp member 316. According to some embodiments, the front top clamp member 318 and the front bottom clamp member 316 comprise threaded bores (not shown) to allow the front clamping fasteners 312 to be turned into the front sight assembly 310 from the top and/or from the bottom.

According to some embodiments, the front bottom clamp member 316 and the front top clamp member 318 comprise inner surfaces 340 and 342 respectively that define an opening for receiving the firearm noise suppressor 10. According to some embodiments, the front bottom clamp member 316 and the front top clamp member 318 comprise inner surfaces 340 and 342 respectively that define a front opening for receiving the firearm noise suppressor 10. According to some embodiments, the front bottom clamp member 316 and the front top clamp member 318 comprise inner surfaces 340 and 342 respectively that define a front opening for receiving an exterior profile of the firearm noise suppressor 10. According to some embodiments, the front bottom clamp member 316 and the front top clamp member 318 comprise inner surfaces 340 and 342 respectively that define a front opening for receiving a front portion of an exterior profile of the firearm noise suppressor 10.

According to some embodiments, the front sight assembly 310 is configured to receive the firearm noise suppressor 10 having a diameter of one inch or more. According to some embodiments, the front bottom clamp member 316 and the front top clamp member 318 comprise inner surfaces 340 and 342 respectively that define a front opening that is one inch in diameter or more.

According to some embodiments, the inner surfaces 340 and 342 are substantially curved for receiving and/or accommodating a circular exterior profile or semi circular exterior profile of the firearm noise suppressor 10. According to some embodiments, the inner surfaces 340 and 342 define a rectangular opening for receiving and/or accommodating a rectangularly shaped exterior profile of the firearm noise suppressors (not shown). According to some embodiments, the inner surfaces 340 and 342 are substantially smooth to avoid slippage and/or to provide a more indexed position on the firearm noise suppressor 10. According to some embodiments, the inner surfaces 340 and 342 are textured to avoid slippage and/or to provide a more indexed position on the firearm noise suppressor 10.

According to some embodiments, the front bottom clamp member 316 and/or the front top clamp member 318 are flexible to accommodate a range of the firearm noise suppressor 10 diameters. According to some embodiments, the front bottom clamp member 316 and/or the front top clamp member 318 are rigid with only slight flexure to fit a selected firearm noise suppressor 10 diameter.

According to some embodiments, the front bottom clamp member 316 and/or the front top clamp member 318 can be made, in whole or in part, of one or more materials, such as plastics or metals. According to some embodiments, the front bottom clamp member 316 and/or the front top clamp member 318 can be made, in whole or in part, of steel, stainless steel, aluminum, titanium or other types of alloys capable of achieving desired clamping forces.

According to some embodiments, the inner surface 340 can surround and contact about half of the circumference of the firearm noise suppressors 10, while the inner surface 342 can surround and contact the other half of the circumference of the firearm noise suppressor 10. The front bottom clamp member 316 and the front top clamp member 318 can thus provide about 360 degrees of contact. According to some embodiments, the front bottom clamp member 316 and the front top clamp member 318 surround more or less than half of the circumference of the firearm noise suppressor 10. According to some embodiments, the front bottom clamp member 316 can surround more than half of the circumference of the firearm noise suppressor 10, and the front top clamp member 318 can surround less than half of the circumference of the firearm noise suppressor 10. According to some embodiments, the front bottom clamp member 316 can surround less than half of the circumference of the firearm noise suppressor 10, and the front top clamp member 318 can surround more than half of the circumference of the firearm noise suppressor 10.

According to some embodiments presently disclosed, the front top clamp member 318 is pivotally coupled (not shown) with the front bottom clamp member 316. According to some embodiments presently disclosed, one of the front clamping fasteners 312 is replaced by a pin (not shown) extending through both the front top clamp member 318 and the front bottom clamp member 316 to allow the front top clamp member 318 to pivot about the front bottom clamp member 316.

According to some embodiments, the front sight member 314 is removably coupled with the front top clamp member 318. According to some embodiments, the front sight member 314 is removable coupled with the front top clamp member 318 using at least one fastener (not shown). According to some embodiments, the front sight member 314 is slidably coupled with the front top clamp member 318. According to some embodiments, the front sight member 314 is integrally coupled with the front top clamp member 318. According to some embodiments, the front sight member 314 is removable coupled with the front top clamp member 318 using a dovetail connection (not shown).

Referring to FIG. 3, according to some embodiments, the rear sight assembly 320 comprises rear clamping fasteners 322, a rear sight member 324, a rear bottom clamp member 326, and a rear top clamp member 328. According to some embodiments, the rear top clamp member 328 is coupled with the rear bottom clamp member 326 around the firearm noise suppressor 10 as shown in FIG. 4. According to some embodiments, the rear top clamp member 328 is secured to the rear bottom clamp member 326 by the rear clamping fasteners 322 which extend through recessed bores 354 in the rear top clamp member 328 and turn into threaded bores 356 in the front bottom clamp member 326. According to some embodiments, the rear bottom clamp member 326 and the rear top clamp member 328 define an opening for receiving the firearm noise suppressor 10.

According to some embodiments, the rear top clamp member 328 is secured to the rear bottom clamp member 326 by the rear clamping fasteners 322 which extend through recessed bores (not shown) in the rear bottom clamp member 328 and turn into threaded bores (not shown) in the rear top clamp member 326. According to some embodiments, the rear clamping fasteners 322 may be inserted either from the rear top clamp member 328 or from the rear bottom clamp member 326. According to some embodiments, the rear top clamp member 328 and the rear bottom clamp member 326 comprise threaded bores (not shown) to allow the rear clamping fasteners 322 to be turned into the rear sight assembly 320 from the top and/or from the bottom.

According to some embodiments, the rear bottom clamp member 326 and the rear top clamp member 328 comprise inner surfaces 350 and 352 respectively that define an opening for receiving the firearm noise suppressor 10. According to some embodiments, the rear bottom clamp member 326 and the rear top clamp member 328 comprise inner surfaces 350 and 352 respectively that define a rear opening for receiving the firearm noise suppressor 10. According to some embodiments, the rear bottom clamp member 326 and the rear top clamp member 328 comprise inner surfaces 350 and 352 respectively that define a rear opening for receiving an exterior profile of the firearm noise suppressor 10. According to some embodiments, the rear bottom clamp member 326 and the rear top clamp member 328 comprise inner surfaces 350 and 352 respectively that define a rear opening for receiving a rear portion of an exterior profile of the firearm noise suppressor 10.

According to some embodiments, the rear sight assembly 320 is configured to receive the firearm noise suppressor 10 having a diameter of one inch or more. According to some embodiments, the rear bottom clamp member 326 and the rear top clamp member 328 comprise inner surfaces 350 and 352 respectively that define a rear opening that is one inch in diameter or more.

According to some embodiments, the inner surfaces 350 and 352 are substantially curved for receiving and/or accommodating a circular exterior profile or semi circular exterior profile of the firearm noise suppressor 10. According to some embodiments, the inner surfaces 350 and 352 define a rectangular opening for receiving and/or accommodating a rectangularly shaped exterior profile of the firearm noise suppressors (not shown). According to some embodiments, the inner surfaces 350 and 352 are substantially smooth to avoid slippage and/or to provide a more indexed position on the firearm noise suppressor 10. According to some embodiments, the inner surfaces 350 and 352 are textured to avoid slippage and/or to provide a more indexed position on the firearm noise suppressor 10.

According to some embodiments, the rear bottom clamp member 326 and/or the rear top clamp member 328 are flexible to accommodate a range of the firearm noise suppressor 10 diameters. According to some embodiments, the rear bottom clamp member 326 and/or the rear top clamp member 328 are rigid with only slight flexure to fit a selected firearm noise suppressor 10 diameter.

According to some embodiments, the rear bottom clamp member 326 and/or the rear top clamp member 328 can be made, in whole or in part, of one or more materials, such as plastics or metals. According to some embodiments, the rear bottom clamp member 326 and/or the rear top clamp member 328 can be made, in whole or in part, of steel, stainless steel, aluminum, titanium or other types of alloys capable of achieving desired clamping forces.

According to some embodiments, the inner surface 350 can surround and contact about half of the circumference of the firearm noise suppressor 10, while the inner surface 352 can surround and contact the other half of the circumference of the firearm noise suppressor 10. The rear bottom clamp member 326 and the rear top clamp member 328 can thus provide about 360 degrees of contact. According to some embodiments, the rear bottom clamp member 326 and the rear top clamp member 328 surround more or less than half of the circumference of the firearm noise suppressor 10. According to some embodiments, the rear bottom clamp member 326 can surround more than half of the circumference of the firearm noise suppressor 10, and the rear top clamp member 328 can surround less than half of the circumference of the firearm noise suppressor 10. According to some embodiments, the rear bottom clamp member 326 can surround less than half of the circumference of the firearm noise suppressor 10, and the rear top clamp member 328 can surround more than half of the circumference of the firearm noise suppressor 10.

According to some embodiments presently disclosed, the rear top clamp member 328 is pivotally coupled (not shown) with the rear bottom clamp member 326. According to some embodiments presently disclosed, one of the rear clamping fasteners 322 is replaced by a pin (not shown) extending through both the rear top clamp member 328 and the rear bottom clamp member 326 to allow the rear top clamp member 328 to pivot about the rear bottom clamp member 326.

According to some embodiments, the rear sight member 324 is removably coupled with the rear top clamp member 328. According to some embodiments, the rear sight member 324 is removable coupled with the rear top clamp member 328 using at least one fastener (not shown). According to some embodiments, the rear sight member 324 is slidably coupled with the rear top clamp member 328. According to some embodiments, the rear sight member 324 is integrally coupled with the rear top clamp member 328. According to some embodiments, the rear sight member 324 is removable coupled with the rear top clamp member 328 using a dovetail connection (not shown).

According to some embodiments, the sight system 300 presently disclosed is indexable on the firearm noise suppressor 10 to allow the user to align the front sight member 324 and the rear sight member 314 at their preference. According to some embodiments presently disclosed, the front sight member 324 and the rear sight member 314 may be positioned straight down the top at the 12 O'clock position as shown in FIG. 5. According to some embodiments presently disclosed, the front sight member 324 and the rear sight member 314 may be slightly offset (not shown) to accommodate any bullet impact shift from the firearm noise suppressor 10. According to some embodiments presently disclosed, the front sight member 324 and the rear sight member 314 may be offset (not shown) to allow the user to have off-set sights on the gun, such as a 45 degree cant.

According to some embodiments, the sight system 300 is a single unit wherein the front sight assembly 310 and the rear sight assembly 320 are both coupled with a base member (not shown). According to some embodiments, the front sight assembly 310 and the rear sight assembly 320 are independently mounted on the firearm noise suppressor 10 to allows one to be rotationally offset from the other to provide fine windage adjustment.

According to some embodiments, the sight system 300 presently disclosed functions as an indicator that the firearm noise suppressor 10 has come loose during its use of the firearm, thus functioning as a safety device. According to some embodiments, the firearm noise suppressor 10 may be attached by screwing onto the treaded muzzle end of the barrel, and can come unscrewed due to the thermal and mechanical effects of shooting and recoil. A loose suppressor can be misaligned from the barrel axis, leading to potentially damaging baffle strikes, and to potential injury to the user in the event of a major failure. By positioning the sight system 300 on the top line of the firearm noise suppressor 10, aligned with the midline of the pistol, any rotational misalignment from loosening is readily apparent by the view of the sights beginning to shift to one side, off the weapon's medial plane. Any shift would be obvious to the user before the firearm noise suppressor 10 was loose enough to raise a safety or damage concern.

While several illustrative embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, numerous variations and alternative embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. Such variations and alternative embodiments are contemplated, and can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. The term “plurality” includes two or more referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the disclosure pertains.

The foregoing detailed description of exemplary and preferred embodiments is presented for purposes of illustration and disclosure in accordance with the requirements of the law. It is not intended to be exhaustive nor to limit the invention to the precise form(s) described, but only to enable others skilled in the art to understand how the invention may be suited for a particular use or implementation. The possibility of modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. No limitation is intended by the description of exemplary embodiments which may have included tolerances, feature dimensions, specific operating conditions, engineering specifications, or the like, and which may vary between implementations or with changes to the state of the art, and no limitation should be implied therefrom. Applicant has made this disclosure with respect to the current state of the art, but also contemplates advancements and that adaptations in the future may take into consideration of those advancements, namely in accordance with the then current state of the art. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims as written and equivalents as applicable. Reference to a claim element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated. Moreover, no element, component, nor method or process step in this disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or step is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Sec. 112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for . . . ” and no method or process step herein is to be construed under those provisions unless the step, or steps, are expressly recited using the phrase “step(s) for . . . . ” 

What is claimed is:
 1. A sight system for a firearm noise suppressor comprising an exterior profile, the sight system comprising: a front sight assembly defining a front opening for accommodating a front portion of the exterior profile of the firearm noise suppressor; and a rear sight assembly defining a rear opening for accommodating a rear portion of the exterior profile of the firearm noise suppressor.
 2. The sight system of claim 1, wherein the front sight assembly comprises a removable front sight member.
 3. The sight system of claim 1, wherein the rear sight assembly comprises a removable rear sight member.
 4. The sight system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the front and rear sight assemblies comprises: a top clamp member comprising a sight member; and a bottom clamp member coupled with the top clamp member.
 5. The sight system of claim 1, wherein the front sight assembly is placed on the firearm noise suppressor rotationally independent from the rear sight assembly to provide adjustment for windage.
 6. The sight system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the front and rear sight assemblies is rotationally coupled with the firearm noise suppressor.
 7. The sight system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the front and rear openings is at least one inch in diameter.
 8. The sight system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the front and rear openings is cylindrical.
 9. A firearm noise suppressor comprising: an exterior profile; a front sight assembly defining a front opening for accommodating a front portion of the exterior profile; and a rear sight assembly defining a rear opening for accommodating a rear portion of the exterior profile.
 10. The sight system of claim 9, wherein the front sight assembly comprises a removable front sight member.
 11. The sight system of claim 9, wherein the rear sight assembly comprises a removable rear sight member.
 12. The sight system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the front and rear sight assemblies comprises: a top clamp member comprising a sight member; and a bottom clamp member coupled with the top clamp member.
 13. The sight system of claim 9, wherein the front sight assembly is placed on the firearm noise suppressor rotationally independent from the rear sight assembly to provide adjustment for windage.
 14. The sight system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the front and rear sight assemblies is rotationally coupled with the firearm noise suppressor.
 15. The sight system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the front and rear openings is at least one inch in diameter.
 16. The sight system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the front and rear openings is cylindrical.
 17. A sight assembly comprising: a top clamp member comprising a sight member; and a bottom clamp member coupled with the top clamp member; wherein the top clamp member and the bottom clamp member define an opening for receiving a firearm noise suppressor.
 18. The sight system of claim 17, wherein the top clamp member comprises a removable sight member.
 19. The sight system of claim 17, wherein sight assembly is rotationally coupled with the firearm noise suppressor.
 20. The sight system of claim 17, wherein the opening is cylindrical. 